Emma Ledger – Contributing Editor

Switch on hibernation mode and keep cosy without breaking the bank

When a cold snap bites, next-level layering is the secret to weather-proofing your wardrobe. But there are also smart ways to stay snug (and a little smug) while at your desk this winter, and they don’t involve cranking the heating up. Here’s how:

1. Embrace blankets

On a work call no one sees your bottom half, so drape a blanket or wool throw across your lap, embrace the impeccable piece of design that is the hot-water bottle, and don’t forget fur-lined slippers.

A loaf of rustic bread and an open tin of fish sit on a marble board, atop a patterned foot rest.

2. Comfort eat

This season, nature is telling you to slow down. Extend that idea to the kitchen with some winter warmers, slow-cooked in casserole dishes. Set a cosy dish going at breakfast time and it’ll be dreamy by lunchtime.

A white ceramic teapot viewed from above on a green, vertically textured background.

3. Time for a brew

The humble kettle is crucial to successful home-working. If you’re a prolific tea/coffee drinker consider investing in a kettle with a stay-warm function – it’s far more energy efficient than reboiling.

4. Plug in a portable heater

Obvious but easy to forget; a small heater that you can keep near your desk will keep you toasty without having to heat the whole house. Oil-filled radiators are cheap to run and super effective.

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